Tech Tip-in Beats Vcu In Overtime

January 12, 1992|By M.J. DOUGHERTY Correspondent

BLACKSBURG — It happened so quickly that Erik Wilson didn't even think about his actions. When the Virginia Tech center saw Jay Purcell's layup fall off the rim in the closing seconds, he instinctively tipped the ball in.

Wilson's immediate reaction allowed the Hokies to claim a 73-72 overtime victory over Virginia Commonwealth in a Metro Conference basketball game Saturday at Cassell Coliseum.

Virginia Tech (6-6, 1-1 in the Metro Conference) tried to set up a final shot for the last 30 seconds of the extra period. Finally, Purcell drove to the hoop with four seconds left. He was off the mark, but Wilson wasn't.

``I was expecting Jay to make it,'' Wilson said. ``I was backing away, trying to hold the defender back. I didn't have time to think. I was boxing out for a rebound, but I didn't think there would be one.''

The Hokies had called a timeout after Sherron Mills' 3-pointer with 34.6 seconds left cut Tech's lead - which had been eight points less than a minute earlier - to 71-70.

Virginia Tech failed to inbounds the ball. VCU's Eric Atkins deflected the inbounds pass into the hands of Kendrick Warren, who hit a short jumper, and the Rams (7-5, 1-1) had their first lead of the overtime with 30 seconds left.

By that point, though, the Hokies were used to having to come back in the final seconds. Wilson's layup with four seconds left in regulation had tied the game at 55-55 to force overtime.

Virginia Tech won despite losing leading scorer Thomas Elliott to a sprained ankle early in the first half.

But Steve Hall scored a career-high 20 points, and Wilson and Jackson doubled their scoring averages.

After trading baskets for most of the first half, Virginia Tech almost broke open the game right before halftime with a 12-2 run that gave it a seven-point lead. And although the Rams climbed back to within 29-24 at intermission, the surge showed the Hokies could succeed against VCU without Elliott.

``I thought - and I know it sounds silly - that we lost the game in the first half,'' said VCU coach Sonny Smith, whose Rams have dropped three straight one-point decisions to Virginia Tech.

Tech coach Bill Foster and his Hokies also won the tempo battle.

``We couldn't de-ugly the game. He wanted to play an ugly game,'' Smith said of Foster, ``and we wanted to play an up-tempo game. And he got what he wanted.''